Instructions to the Marine Meteorological Observers of the U. S. Weather Bureau, 3rd edition.

Abstract

Introduction.- The Meteorological Report at present issued to vessels by the U. S. Weather Bureau, for forwarding observations , is a slight modification of that devised by the U. S. Signal Service for the purpose of its series of International Simultaneous Meteorological Observations, covering the period 1878-1887, which form in its turn superseded the once well-known Meteorological Journal. The last-mentioned form of record, which went into effect in 1876, and wh ch was in many respects identical with that recommended by the Maritime Conference held at Brussels in 1853, contemplated that the various meteorological observations should be entered at the end of every two hours throughout the twenty-f our, or a total of twelve sets of observations a day. The new form demanded, in place of this series, a single daily observation -this, however, to be taken over the entire se a at the same instant of time, viz, mean noon on the meridian of Greenwich, the object of the change being the utilization of a principal whose value, already recognized ashore, had meanwhile been shown to be equally applicable to meteorological observations at sea.